AN: Sorry that i haven't posted in a while. I've been dealing with health problems that gotten worse in the past year I might have a torn rotary cuff in my right shoulder. So doing things on the computer like writing has been hard. Plus taking care of my husband since his health hasn't been good and being a driver for my parents since my mother finally (after 6 cancelations) got her hand operated on and seeing a surgeon next month for a hip replacement.
CH 56
"Well since we couldn't catch any fish, what would you like to do Nikki, nick"
"We could go home" Nikki said
"nick what about you"
"Why not dad"
"Ok, I'll go and put Vicky down in the bedroom"
"I'll take us home" Nikki said.
Pete took Vicky down and put her in the bedroom where he put her on the bed and put pillows around her when he heard the engine start up. Nick walk into the room
"I'll say with her dad"
"Ok, thanks Nick" then he walk out of the room and went up to the boat deck and up to where Nikki is.
Later that afternoon Pete, Nikki, Nick and Vicky showed up at the pub. Pete went to the bar while Nikki push the stroller out side to where the crew is with Nick behind her.
They all greeted Nikki like they always do. Kate pick Vicky up and talk to her while she return back to her seat next to mike who was also making a fuss of her. They all talk and laugh while enjoying a relaxing evening till families left since they got kids with them.
The next morning Pete was in his and charge cabin getting change when charge open the door and walk in carrying his sea bag "It good to have you back" Charge said
"Thanks charge, I'll let you get change while I'll go and get the juniors together"
"sure" Pete open the door and walk out closing it behind him. He went to get the junior sailors together to start taking supplies on board.
Couple hours later Hammersley left port for it two month patrol. Pete got to met Swain temporary replacement banjo cause of her last name being Patterson. Pete and Kate talk about having training exercises for the junior crew while out on patrol which Kate thought it was a great idea.
Three weeks after leaving port Pete cell phone rings. So he got it out of his pocket and see it a text message "Text from Nikki" he open it and smiling with what he read.
"Every thing ok buffer" Charge asked
"Yes it is." He walk over to the PA system and turn it on then pick up microphone
"now here this buffer speaking... Nikki...Nav sent me a text message to share with you all...at fourteen fifty two hours Samuel James Blake born seven pounds ten ounces. Sally, Swain and baby doing well. That is all" every one cheered as Pete put the microphone back in it place
"A boy I bet Swain happy" ET said
"don't know ET" Pete said.
Kate got her phone out "X, commander Flynn and Flipper knows" Pete said
"Oh" then Kate cell phone rings so she open it and read what it said which made her smile then she close it and put it back in her pocket.
"Mike just told me the news"
the day Hammersley return back to Cairns, crew was worried that they might be crash sail with in twenty four hours like it happen on the other times. When they closer to the wharf they smile when they saw Swain, Sally, Chloe and Sam there waiting for them since Sam is four and half weeks old.
When the crew walk off Hammersley after doing there duties they congratulated Swain and Sally on the baby and they look at what Sam look like as well making funny comments which having them all laughing before they all went there separate ways.
That night swain showed up at the pub for couple of hours before heading home just like with the other families with young kids.
The next morning when Nikki was at work, she over heard Maxine talking to one of the Huons mining ships. Nikki was shock that Maxine was going to send Hammersley so she got her phone out and send Pete the heads up.
When Maxine finish talking to the captain. Nikki turn around in her chair
"commander white why are you crash sailing Hammersley again" Maxine turn to Nikki
"It my decision on who I send out lieutenant not yours, under stand"
"Why not send Childers they due to leave in two hours for there patrol."
"Listen to me lieutenant, I do not like the way you talk to me" Maxine said angry Nikki stood up
"Why not commander I am questioning your priorities ma'am you have crash sail Hammersley eight times in a row since you been here. The crew haven't even had a chance to have there skeletal shore leave when you crash sail them with less than twenty four hours shore leave and Hammersley was suppose to be in dry dock three months ago for the service required and you knew that, but you send them out when you could of sent another patrol boat which already been in dry dock to have it service done or the crew had there skeletal shore leave. What are you trying to do to Hammersley commander."
"It my decision lieutenant, not your and if you talk to me like that again I'll have you sent to the captain table"
"If that before or after some thing bad happens on Hammersley and it crew commander. The crew haven't had a proper rest in almost a year. They are tired and burn out and yet you keep sending them out. If any thing happens to any of the crew I'll personal hold you responsible for it commander" Nikki said yelling then she turn and walk quickly out of the ball pen. Maxine look around the room
"Get back to work, lieutenant sent crash sail text message to Hammersley crew"
"Ma'am Nav is right"
"Lieutenant do as your are told or I'll send you to the captain table as well" Maxine said yelling
"Yes ma'am" Maxine look around the room then she turn around and walk back to her office while the lieutenant did what he was order to
"some one should do some thing about her. I feel sorry for Hammersley crew" lieutenant said
"I agree, yesterday I saw captain and the XO walk in here, they look tired"
"I notice it to, but what can we do"
"I know of some one who can help, I'll make the call" Then look up the phone number and made a call while his friend sent the crash sail text message.
"Hello I'm lieutenant Young from Cairns NAVCOM I can talk to Captain Marshal please" He said smiling
"Yes it is important... that is what I need to talk to him about... thank you... Captain Marshall, it lieutenant young... yes I know you busy sir, we got a situation here sir... it is about her... she crash sail Hammersley again... sir she been doing it since she got here... sir they had little shore leave and Hammersley was suppose to been in dry dock three months ago... less than twenty hour hours...No sir... commander White keeps crashing sailing Hammersley... yes sir there are other patrol boats who could do it... sir Childers is due to leave in two hours for three week patrol... sixteen hundred hours yesterday... yes sir I can send them to you... sir yesterday I saw the captain and XO of Hammersley they are tired... they do sir...lieutenant Tomaszewski question commander white about why she sending Hammersley out and not Childers...no she didn't... no sir it his day off... yes sir I will keep you up to date... sure... thank you sir...yes sir" then they hung up.
"Well"
"Captain Marshal want full reports on Hammersley all boats skeletal, crash sailing, every thing since commander white been here and e-mail it to him"
"and then what"
"We wait"
When the crew received the crash sail messages including Kate who was with mike in the swimming pool skinning dipping and making love while in there since kids are at school. When Kate saw it was a crash sail message
"you got to be joking why can't that bloody women send another patrol boat" Kate said angry
"Kate" Mike said as he swam over to her she turn around
"Knocker crash sail Hammersley again"
she turn around and walk up the steps and out of the pool where she grab a towel along the way so she could dry down. Mike follow Kate out and did the same. Then he turn Kate around and pull her into his arm
"Mike you got to do some thing about her this been going on long enough, the crew and I are tired, we hardly seen our families, Hammersley over due to be in dry dock. Charge been worried since our last patrol cause of the rising temp in the engines and the wiring that need replacing before there a fire on board. she trying to brake us apart Mike"
"I know, I'll make some calls tomorrow. Lets go and have a shower together and I'll drive you down to Hammersley"
"ok, kids they were so happy to see me yesterday and now..."
"i know" They walk towards the house with Mike arm wrap around Kate shoulder.
He was angry with Maxine for what she done not only to his family but to the crew and there families as well.
Three hours later Hammersley left port to take engine parts to one of the mining ships that broke down and to drop supplies off an island as well help them out since they asked for help with sustain areas which the crew got experience in. They were going to be away for a week for that then they got three week patrol.
Two days before Hammersley was due back to Cairn they went through a bad storm which NAVCOM knew about the storm and send warning messages to all navy boats in the area.
When Nikki arrived to work she was worried about Pete and the crew since the last message she received from Pete wasn't good news. He told her that charge worried about the engines over heating and lights been flickering for a few hours. And that ET doing the best he can with what he got.
She walk over to the big screen to see where Hammersley is. She knew what path they would be taking to return back to Cains. When she look that the path, there was no dot. So she look at the board and she starting to worry then she walk over to her computer and did some typing.
"oh my god" she sat down in shock
"Nav what wrong" lieutenant asked she look at him
"Hammersley gone"
"what" he said in shock
"This was there last known persistion, then nothing, it happen in the middle of that storm" Nav turn around when she saw Maxine and mike walking out of her office.
Nav stood up "I warn you commander white if any thing happens to Hammersley I'll hold you personalty responsible for it" Nikki said yelling
"Nav" mike said in shock
"sir Hammersley missing, transponder gone as zero two fourteen this morning they were in the middle of that storm, they haven't activated there emergency beacon on means one of two things sir, beacon damage or..." then she started to cry.
"sir, Pete sent me an e-mail before they went through the storm. Charge worried, about the engines starting to over heat and there been power problems on board. ET doing the best he can. I'm worried that the engine blown up and they lost power in that storm. That wouldn't of happen if Hammersley was in dry dock getting fix." Then she turn to Maxine
"You knew about the problems on Hammersley commander white and yet you crash sail them knowing about the problems and now they going through that storm...If that has happen, or worse..."
Mike step forward and pulled her in to his arms. While he started giving out orders. Then he pulled back and made Nikki to sit down. Then he crouch in front of her
"don't worry Nav we will find them"
"I know you will sir" Mike stood up and walk over to where lieutenant is who was holding phone for mike.
"sir it commander Flynn sir we got a situation here sir... HMAS Hammersley is missing... early hours this morning... no sir... lieutenant Tomaszewski sir...I'll look into that sir... who sir... what about it sir..." then he turn to look at Maxine
"I under stand sir... yes they all are... yes sir I will... yes sir" then they hung up.
Over the next few hours NAVCOM was a buzz with active and Mike got Nav to keep in contact with all of the ships from both Cairns and Darwin plus coast watch who got all there planes up in the air looking for missing Hammersley.
Nav was busy at her computer the whole day, hardly taking a brake plus some one from NAVCOM leak to the media about what happen to Hammersley. By the end of the day there was no signs of the missing patrol boat but all ships and pleasure crafts keeping an eye out for the ship.
Mike ended up taking Nikki home since she was in no fit to drive. He took her to Heidi place she was waiting for them not knowing that Andrew and Nichole too the first flight up to Cairns soon as they heard about what happen to Hammersley.
Mike parents Paul and Alice was also there comforting the kids which shock Mike seeing them there. Heidi cook every one dinner even thought mike, Nikki and kids weren't hungry. Mike took kids home, his parents follow mike in taxi while Nikki took kids home for the night.
Over the next five days there was no sighting of Hammersley, HRIBS, crew, nothing till commander white walk out of her office and over to where mike and Nav is
"mike" he turn to her
"Fleet command calling off the search"
"what" mike said in shock
"No they can't" Nikki said as she start crying again. Mike pulled her into his arms as he started to cry.
"you know there chances are slim Mike" Maxine said.
Nikki stood back away from mike and turn to Maxine, she saw the look in Maxine eyes that made her angry
"you son of a bitch" then she took a swing hitting Maxine in the eye then Mike pull Nikki way and held on to her arms
"you don't care about Hammersley, you don't care about it crew" Nikki said yelling
"Of cause I do"
"no you don't it in your eyes, your face might look it but in your eyes your happy that they are gone, your happy that Kate McGregor is gone. You been trying to brake them up for months. I hope your happy, you killed not only commander Flynn wife, but my husband and the whole crew on Hammersley" Mike turn Nikki around and pull her into his arms.
He look at Maxine. "Do you care Maxine"
"of cause it do mike" mike look into Maxine eyes and he could see what Nikki saw
"I'm taking Nikki home, we won't be back in for the next few days. You got a lot of explaining to do Maxine. You just ruin a lot of lives today" then he and Nikki walk out of NAVCOM with Mike arms still wrap around Nikki shoulder.
It was big news around Australia and around the world about what happen to Hammersley and it crew. Mike, Nikki, Sally and other families from the missing crew was getting cards and flowers from fleet command, family and friends.